Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 24 April 2026 – Africa CDC welcomes Algeria’s validation by the World Health Organization as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem. This milestone, achieved on 23 April 2026, makes Algeria the 29th country globally and the 10th country in WHO’s African Region to reach this achievement.
As of 24 April 2026, at least 13 African Union Member States have been WHO-validated as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem: Algeria, Benin, Burundi, Egypt, The Gambia, Ghana, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Senegal, and Togo.
Trachoma remains the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness, particularly affecting communities with limited access to water, sanitation, hygiene, and adequate living conditions. Algeria’s achievement demonstrates that elimination is possible through sustained political commitment, strong health systems, community engagement, and coordinated multisectoral action.
For Africa CDC, trachoma elimination across all 55 AU Member States is within reach. The next phase must focus on:
- Accelerating elimination in remaining endemic or formerly endemic countries through the WHO SAFE strategy (Surgery, Antibiotics, Facial cleanliness, and Environmental improvement)
- Strengthening surveillance and post-validation monitoring to prevent resurgence
- Integrating trachoma into PHC, WASH, school health, community health worker, and NTD platforms
- Using digital health and geospatial intelligence to guide last-mile interventions
Africa CDC calls for a shift from fragmented disease control to integrated, data-driven, community-owned elimination — anchored in PHC, WASH, surveillance, and Africa’s health security and sovereignty agenda.
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About Africa CDC
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is the public health agency of the African Union. As an autonomous institution, Africa CDC supports AU Member States to strengthen health systems, improve disease surveillance, and enhance emergency preparedness and response. For more information, visit: http://www.africacdc.org and follow Africa CDC on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and YouTube.
Media Contacts:
Margaret Muigai Edwin, Director of Communication & Public Information Directorate: Africa CDC | edwinm@africacdc.org
